We’re diving into the nitty-gritty of rolling out dynamic books in your organization. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Another change? My team’s barely recovered from the last one!” But here’s the thing—this blog isn’t about flipping your entire GTM strategy on its head. We’re talking about a slow, soft, and hybrid approach that’ll help you test the waters without causing a tidal wave of disruption.
Why a soft approach?
Before we start talking about teams and motions, let’s address the elephant in the room: change is hard. And in sales, where consistency can be king, change can feel like stepping into uncharted territory without a map. But what if I told you that you don’t need to go full throttle on dynamic books right out of the gate?
Here’s the game plan: Instead of overhauling everything at once, let’s pave the paths your reps are already taking. Give yourself visibility into what’s happening on the ground, and then start making better, more informed decisions. This way, you can reap the benefits of dynamic books while minimizing the risks.
Step 1: Which teams should we start with?
Not all sales teams are created equal, and not all are ready for dynamic books. So, which ones do you start with? Here’s where you need to be strategic.
Start with your SDRs.
Your SDRs (and/or BDRs) are the frontline warriors, often dealing with high volumes and lots of outbound activities. They’re already accustomed to a fast-paced environment, so a little shake-up won’t throw them off their game. Plus, they’re usually more adaptable to change than, say, your enterprise sales teams, who are dealing with longer sales cycles and larger deals.
High volume, commercial teams.
If you’ve got a commercial team cranking out deals with a high volume of outbound activity, they’re prime candidates for dynamic books. The nature of their sales motion means they’re already juggling a lot of accounts, making them more likely to benefit from a system that helps them prioritize better and work smarter.
Who shouldn’t move to dynamic books?
Now, let’s be real—dynamic books aren’t for everyone. If you’ve got an enterprise team dealing with fewer, larger accounts, don’t mess with their flow. These reps rely on deep relationships and intricate knowledge of each account. Introducing dynamic books here could feel like throwing a wrench in a well-oiled machine. Because reps work with a changeable list of accounts, a dynamic books approach is probably not a good choice for highly relationship-driven sales or companies where geography matters a lot, such as field sales.
Step 2: Getting started without disrupting everything
So, you’ve picked your teams—now what? The goal here is to start small, implement gradually, and keep things as seamless as possible.
Define target capacity.
Start by defining a target capacity for your reps. What’s the sweet spot? You want your reps to be busy, but not overwhelmed. We’ve all been there—juggling more accounts than seems humanly possible. It’s high time we talked about the sweet spot for account load. Most reps won’t have to give anything up, but those who are stretched too thin won’t get new accounts until they’re back in balance.
Give reps a process for taking accounts.
Here’s where the magic happens. Create a process for reps to claim or take on new accounts. But there’s a catch—they’ve got to do it your way. Implement a system where they can claim an account, but it gets logged and tracked. This way, you’re helping them out while also keeping an eye on the big picture.
Put a cap on account load.
Once you’ve established a process, you can start capping the number of accounts a rep can manage. If they’re already at their limit, no more new accounts for them. This forces reps to focus on what they’ve got and ensures they’re not spreading themselves too thin.
Structure account returns.
Reps love good accounts, but the ones that don’t pan out? Not so much. Make it easy for them to return or ignore accounts that aren’t worth their time. Set up a system where they can move these accounts out of their name, so they’re not cluttering up their pipeline.
Impact of a soft approach
By rolling out dynamic books this way, you’re giving your team the tools they need to succeed while keeping everything under control. You’re not just handing out more accounts—you’re making sure they’re being worked effectively. Over time, you’ll start seeing who’s thriving and who’s struggling, allowing you to make adjustments before things get out of hand.
What's next? Steps toward full dynamic books
Once you’ve tested the waters with this soft approach, you can start thinking about scaling up. The goal is to get visibility into what’s happening at the ground level so you can make better decisions about rep capacity and account management. This isn’t just about tracking metrics—it’s about improving the entire sales process.
Remember the three pillars of dynamic books: select accounts, assign accounts, and optimize coverage. Start small, track everything, and use the insights to refine your approach. Over time, you’ll see the benefits of dynamic books without the chaos of a sudden overhaul.
Final thoughts
Rolling out dynamic books doesn’t have to be a high-risk, high-reward gamble. By starting with the right teams and implementing a gradual, soft approach, you can begin to see the benefits without the disruption. It’s all about giving your reps the tools to succeed while keeping a tight grip on what’s working and what’s not. So go ahead, take that first step—you’ve got this.
